Pretty Girl
by coldplaywhore
Summary: It's his last chance at confessing his love before he goes to college, but will Edward get the girl? Rated M for weed and cussing like a sailor.


**This is the one shot I wrote for the lovely AllThingsHHH for Fandom Gives Back. The stupendous MaggieMay14 beta's it for me and her comments always make me smile. This is as close to a T-rated fic as I can get. If it wasn't for the swearing and drug usage, it would definately have a T rating.**

**This story is based on the song 'Pretty Girl' by Ernie Halter and AllthingsHHH and I think you should check it out. It's pretty awesome :)**

**I don't own Twilight. I do have a ton of useless swag from a trade show I went to last week though :)**

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><p><em>Most girls wish that they had your eyes<em>  
><em>And boys secretly fantasize<em>  
><em>Who me? I am just mesmerized by your every word and movement<em>

_- Pretty Girl by Ernie Halter_

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><p>Graduation.<p>

For most of my fellow students it's a time to celebrate the fact that they are leaving high school and moving on to bigger and better things. I wish I could say this past week has been one of celebration for me, but it hasn't.

Ever since following the advice of my idiot friend Jasper, I've literally been on pins and needles waiting for my carefully crafted plan to backfire in my face. Yeah, I was that confident; sense my sarcasm.

While waiting my turn to cross the stage and accept my diploma, my yellow graduation gown making me look like a spastic banana, I find myself wishing I was anywhere but here.

The Forks High School yearbooks were delivered on Monday.

Today is Saturday. It's also graduation day.

This means that in the past six days I haven't heard anything from Bella, so I'm assuming either she really can't stand my guts now, or she hasn't even seen what I've done in the yearbook to profess my undying love for her.

In hindsight it was a bad idea, but I couldn't help but feel like it was my last chance to say something... fuck, anything... to her about how I feel, because I have been head over heels in love with her for as long as I can remember. However, I was accepted to Columbia University in New York City and I didn't know where Bella was going, but I didn't hold out hope that she would be in New York with me.

I just wasn't that lucky.

I have known Bella since her family moved to town in freshman year, we had bio together that year, but never once did I say anything to her about how I liked her. Hell, I could barely form a cohesive sentence to ask her for a pencil, let alone to ask the girl out on a date. I am a spluttering idiot around her and I know without a doubt that she is way out of my league. She's like a solid 9 ½ and I'm barely a six according to the hotness scale that Jasper uses to rate everyone in our school.

The guy considers himself an 8, which should have been my first clue that the scale was a complete failure and that he was a jackass.

Plus, it just solidified the fact that Bella and I aren't meant to be together. Cue the violins.

Bella is loved by everyone at Forks High School and with good reason. She's in with the cheerleaders and jocks, but she doesn't play sports. To her benefit, she does attend all the pep rally's and all that school shit that I tend to avoid like the plague. Bella is all artsy and usually helps out with the drama and art clubs, but she doesn't linger in one clique too long. Even the teachers adore her since she actually pays attention and is one of the few students who actually volunteers and participates in class.

Bella is just different.

I'm the polar opposite of her.

I prefer to stay behind the scenes at school and remain relatively unknown. I don't play sports because that would require co-ordination, of which I have none. I can't act, sing or dance, so that's out and I haven't gone to a single pep rally or party since the eighth grade when Mike Newton yanked down my pants in front of everyone at Brady Salinger's birthday party. I was wearing SpongeBob boxers at the time.

Don't get me wrong, I participate sometimes.

Jasper and I run the Dungeons and Dragons club at the school and I am also the editor of the yearbook club. However, that is more of a mandatory activity since I want to be a journalist when I get out of Forks. I would also be running the school newspaper, but thanks to budget cuts, it got shut down two years earlier. No one would ever think of ending the yearbook club though. That would be like cutting football. It isn't even a consideration in this small town where the quarterback is king and the head cheerleader is his queen. Everyone needs to immortalize what, for some, will be the happiest years of their life. I hope I will never be like them; wishing I was still in high school thirty years after the fact.

Soon enough, like everyone else in my graduating class, I walk across the make shift stage and accept my diploma from Principal Duncan. There are several snickers and I try my best to ignore everyone as I grab my slip of paper and go back to my seat. We already listened to Lauren Mallory yammer on during her boring valedictorian speech, where she extoled the virtues of living each day to the fullest, so I just had to make it through the rest of the alphabet unnoticed.

Unfortunately, I'm not so lucky.

"Psst, Edward," Tyler Crowley whispers from beside me. "I was kinda wondering if you ever thought about me… you know… the way I think about you." He chuckles at his lame joke of quoting my yearbook entry to Bella as Darren Baldwin from a few seats down gives him a high five.

"Hey Tyler," I say through clenched teeth as he leans in slightly and I feel suddenly buoyed. "Go fuck yourself."

I hear Mrs. Cope gasp from the end of our aisle, but I simply give her a smile and turn back to face the front, as I pretend to pay attention. I'm really not in the mood for all of his taunting and teasing, because it causes my gut to ache. I was certain that I would have heard something from Bella by now, but with each passing day, things begin to look bleaker.

I am so screwed.

"I don't give a shit, you are coming to this party tonight," Jasper announces firmly as I watch him take a hit from his Bob Marley bong and look at me seriously. "Alice is going to be there tonight and I will be pissed beyond belief if my best friend can't be there to help a brother out."

"You aren't my brother."

"That's a technicality. You're my brother from another mother."

"Whatever," I reply with a sigh as I sit back on the 1970's style couch in Jasper's basement.

It is like a scene right out of 'That 70's Show' down here, but Jasper loves it and refuses to let his parents redecorate. I think they are a little excited at the prospect of him moving out in a few months to head to Penn State. I have already seen dozens of color swatches littering Mrs. Whitlock's kitchen counter. "I really don't want to go. I hated these people all through high school and now I'm finally free of them. Why bother?"

"Alice mentioned that Bella would be there."

"What?" I ask, as I swiftly lift my head to see Jasper laughing happily, knowing he piqued my interest finally. "Why didn't you mention that earlier?"

"Where's the fun in that?" he laughs as I throw a hideous mustard yellow throw pillow at him. "Fine, Ben told me that Angela told him that Alice and Bella were going to the party together."

"So you are getting this information third hand from your friend Ben, who for the record, is baked more often than a box of Betty Crocker brownies?"

"So? And is it me, or do brownies sound really good right now?"

"God you are frustrating." I sigh and try to consider my next course of action. I should go to the party, right? After all, it will be my last chance to hit a party in high school and I should have that experience. Then again, my mother rationalized the same thing about prom, but I didn't go. Jasper and I stayed home and played Magic The Gathering until we couldn't keep our eyes open.

"But you like me, right?" Jasper asks, pulling me from my thoughts, as he tries to give me a sad face but succeeds to look like a douchebag.

"No, not really. Sometimes I dream about stapling your fingers to your face," I say offhandedly as Jasper cracks a smile.

"You are fucked up, Cullen."

"I learn from the best, dipshit."

"Touché... so are you going to come with me or not? I need a wingman and you need to talk to Bella about your yearbook shenanigans." I'm frozen, fighting with my head and my heart over what to do. I know this is my last chance, so why the fuck shouldn't I go?

"Fuck. Fine; I'll go."

"Sweet."

Ten minutes into the party and I already loathe Jasper for dragging me along with him. I haven't seen Bella, but I have signed about 25 yearbooks for people I never liked, not even in kindergarten.

I find Jasper lounging on a chair in the backyard with Tyler, Ben and a few other guys, all of them now stoned out of their mind.

"Cullen... why didn't you ever tell us Whitlock had the best weed? You been holding out on us?" Tyler asks as I roll my eyes and ignore him. I don't smoke the stuff, so how do I know what is the best. I give Jasper a look and he nods his head, which means he's fine, and I continue to look for Bella.

Unfortunately I'm caught instead by Afton Mallory, twin sister to the equally annoying, Lauren, our illustrious valedictorian.

"Edward, what are you doing here?" she questions, her voice cracking as she tries to be seductive or something. I was caught off guard by her flipping her hair over her shoulder so that I could clearly get a better view of her breasts, which are mashed together uncomfortably under her shirt. "I don't think I've ever seen you at a party… ever. You know Bella's not here, right?"

"I'm not looking for Bella," I mutter quietly. Yeah, like she would believe that even if Afton is dumber than a box of rocks.

"Then whatcha doing here?" she asks again, her eyes fluttering awkwardly and I wonder briefly if she is about to have a seizure or something. It would be really fucking awkward, but it would also substantiate the reasons why I never came to these parties before tonight.

"Uh... yeah," I stumble as she gives me a sweet smile, which is rare coming from Afton. She's known to be one of the biggest bitches in the school behind her sister and Rosalie Hale, the head cheerleader. "I just figured it was about time to come to a party. You know... since we graduated and all."

"I wish you had come to some a lot sooner in the year," she says, this time it's more of a whisper and her hand is moving along my arm, giving me the sensation of spiders crawling along it. I shudder and she drops her hand quickly before looking at me with a grin. "Listen, I know we haven't exactly been the best of friends." I scoff, but she smiles and continues. "But I thought... maybe we could have fun this summer before you head off to..."

"New York," I reply simply as her eyes light up.

"Really? I'm going to Ohio State. We'll be pretty close to each other."

"No, not really," I say as she nods her head, clearly attempting to disagree with me. "They are probably like 10 hours apart, Afton."

"Oh well, it's still closer than Seattle is to Ohio State. Plus, you aren't too far west of Ohio, right?"

"It's east," I mumble as my eyes dart around, looking desperately for Bella, while I wonder how the hell Afton managed to graduate if she doesn't know basic geography. The girl probably thinks the capital of the United States is a capital 'U'.

"Yeah, I meant east," she laughs as I feel her grab my hand as she leads me towards the kitchen. She grabs herself a beer from the keg and offers me one, which I quickly decline since I drove to the party. I grab a soda instead as a few people glare at me for stealing their mix, but I don't care. After everything I've been through in high school, I deserve a free soda.

"I've always thought you were really cute, Edward," Afton says suddenly causing me to spit out the little bit of Pepsi I had in my mouth. "You should really wear these tight t-shirts more often. Do you work out?"

I groan under my breath and look down at the small, curvy girl who seems to think that I have hung the moon suddenly. "Do you think I'm cute?"

"Sure, sure," I reply, wanting to placate her as I continue to look in vain for Bella.

"She doesn't deserve you."

"What?" I ask, completely perplexed by her random comment.

"Bella... she doesn't deserve you," she answers softly. "You are much too sweet, sensitive and sexy to be with her. Did you know she's been dating Jacob behind Lauren's back?" I freeze and my entire body tenses up because no... I didn't know this.

If Bella is with Jacob, it would totally explain why she wasn't answering my ad from the yearbook. "Yeah... Lauren went over to his place and found them... together." Afton whispers the last word, as though it is tainted somehow, and I feel my stomach turn.

"Oh...well, that sucks." I'm silent, not really caring if I say anything else to Afton or not. If I am being honest, what I really want to do is run to the bathroom and expel my breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"So... listen... I think you should come with me," Afton says, her voice sounding odd once again, like she is attempting to be sexy or something. I can't wrap my head around the fact that Bella apparently broke up Lauren and Jacob. It just... it doesn't seem like her. I thought she and Lauren are friends. "Edward... coming with me?"

Not two seconds later, Afton has her hand wrapped around my bicep and is whispering to me that she would like to do some very x-rated things in an upstairs bedroom, when Bella walks in. I freeze and stare at her like a complete moron.

"Hi," she says softly as my eyes take her in, noticing how cute she looks in a sundress with her hair pulled back. I want to kiss her neck and confess how much I love her, but instead, all I hear is Afton's voice on repeat in my head telling me how Bella messed up her sister's relationship.

"Hi Bella! Edward and I are _finally_ getting to know each other, aren't we?" she all but squeals in a high-pitched voice as Bella nods. "Where's Jacob? He didn't come with you tonight?" Afton's voice has taken a turn and she sounds downright spiteful at this point. Mind you, if I was in her shoes I couldn't imagine being perky either.

"He's... we're not..." Bella stammers, as her eyes fall from mine and she begins to frown before she turns around and walks away.

I tug my arm out of Afton's grip, causing her to spill her drink down the front of her white top, making it see through. "Uh oh. Wanna go help me out of these wet clothes?"

"No," I reply stoically. "No, I wouldn't."

I dash away from her, ignoring her rants as I weave through the crowd trying to find Bella. Not only do I want to see if what Afton said is true, but first I want to find out if she read the yearbook.

I have no luck, until I find Jasper still perched on a chair, having a philosophical discussion with Ben and Tyler about Phineas and Ferb.

"Listen, I'm just saying that there's no way it is that easy to give a monkey a shower. I tried once," Jasper claims as Ben simply laughs him off but Tyler tries to rationalize the cartoon.

"Maybe they tranquilized him?"

"But he looks fully awake."

"Maybe they developed a new tranquilizer. I mean, these kids can do some crazy shit in a day with the right tools. They are like teeny tiny MacGyver's," Tyler claims as Ben and Jasper both laugh harder.

"MacGyver never had a British accent," Jasper states firmly. I roll my eyes, because clearly these guys have issues discerning cartoon from reality. I'm about to speak and ask Jasper if he has seen Bella when he raises his hand to silence me.

"Don't even get me started on the platypus," Tyler says with a groan. "However, Candace would be hot if she wasn't so annoying. With that short skirt, she's kinda yummy."

"Who do you think would play Candace in a live action version of the show?" Jasper questions, his voice serious as I try to interrupt again and he brushes me off.

"Lindsay Lohan," offers Tyler.

"Too much of a slut, but at least she is an authentic red-head. I'm sure the carpet matches the curtains."

"She probably has hardwood flooring," Ben laughs as I look at the guys and wonder how the hell the conversation changed from a children's show to decorating. Did I get some sort of contact high from being around Jasper tonight?

"Emma Stone… she's one hot redhead or what about Isla Fisher?" Jasper gets a far off look and I know for a fact he's dreaming about Emma Stone in all her outfits from Easy A. If the boy could never have Alice, he'd probably stalk Emma or something. Suddenly, Jasper turns and looks at me with a smile on his face.

"She went down the stairs into the backyard about five minutes ago." He gives me a subtle nod and glare at him.

"Why couldn't you just tell me that before I had to listen to you three morons ramble on about a fucking cartoon?"

"Where's the fun in that?" he laughs as I give him the finger before I practically run down the stairs only to find more classmates scattered around the backyard with drinks in their hands, talking excitedly.

I should just head home. This is pointless.

"Edwa-rrr-d," I hear my name called out by Emmett McCarty, quarterback of the football team and all around idiot. "You've really caused a problem around here, dude." Emmett claps his hand against my back roughly, causing me to cough as I look at him confused.

"Uh... what?"

"All the girls are swooning over your yearbook entry, man. To our girls, we all look like shit, and to the guys, you look like a loser. It's kinda rough, ya know?" Emmett states loudly as a few of his football friends gather around and I tense. What in the fuck? Are they going to kick my ass for making them look like romantic retards?

"Yeah man... like, Jessica is asking me for poetry and flowers all of a sudden," explains Paul as I clench my hands into fists, ready to fight if need be. "I don't know how to be romantic or sweet, dude. I know how to run the ball and score touchdowns."

I'm silent as Emmett turns me to face him with a huge smile plastered on his square jawed face. "You need to teach us to be romantic, man. Rosalie won't even kiss me until I do something and I have nothing. Nada, zip, zilch, adieu."

"Um that last one doesn't fit."

"Huh?" he asks, his head titling to the side, much like a confused puppy.

"Forget it," I mumble as I stare at this odd assortment of guys who seem to think I hold the answers to their questions, which I clearly don't. "Why... why me?" I ask, uncertain that I still won't get away without an ass-kicking. "I have no idea what I am doing and I clearly haven't got the girl."

"You will though," Paul says, and I wish I had a quarter of his confidence. After all, I haven't had more than two seconds to talk to Bella and all she said was 'hi'. I begin to think the world is conspiring against us. "Now, let's talk romance."

For the next hour, I sit with most of the football team in the backyard and I offer them my most romantic ideas. Dates they can take their girls on, movies to watch, flowers to get and I even mention a website or two, though Paul doesn't look smart enough to navigate the internet without adult supervision.

They all seem more than pleased with my advice and I can only hope it doesn't backfire, like Jasper's advice to me. I truly have no experience to base all of this advice on, but I have to offer them something. With the team placated, I head back up to the deck to find Alice straddling Jasper and kissing the ever living hell out of him. I clear my throat and wait impatiently for them to part.

"Hi Edward," Alice says sweetly as I sit in the chair next to them and she keeps rocking her body against Jasper's, not giving a shit that I am there. "Did Bella find you?"

"Find me?" I ask, my voice stuttering slightly.

"Yeah, she came with me because she wanted to talk to you about the yearbook thing."

"She did?" I answer, this time my voice cracks like it did when I was thirteen because I am literally giddy with excitement. Then it hits me; maybe she hated it and wants to tell me to back off. If she was now dating Jacob, that would be the more logical theory. "She loved it and well... you should probably talk to her about it," Alice says with a pause as I watch Jasper close his eyes while Alice stops moving across him. "It's really not my place."

"Where is she?"

"Last I knew, she was heading back into the party, but that was like thirty minutes ago." I jump up from my seat and make a mad dash into the house, desperate to find her. Unfortunately for me, I find her making out with Mike Newton near the front door, his lips attached to her neck as she closes her eyes. What in the fuck? Two minutes ago I thought she was dating Jacob and now she's with Mike? Maybe Bella wasn't who I thought she was.

I can't move; my eyes trained on hers until she opens them. At that point, she pushes Mike from her and I determine that I've seen enough. I rush out back and tell Jasper I'm leaving, while Alice promises to drive him home. I dart down the back stairs, past the football players who are attempting to woo the girlfriends and make my way around the house to where I've parked.

Just as my feet touch the sidewalk, I hear my name being called and look up to see Bella rushing towards me. "Edward... please... wait," she shouts as I find my feet moving faster until I trip over a crack in the sidewalk and tumble forward, face first, into the rough cement. "Shit."

I hear her footsteps moving faster, but I'm not quick enough to get myself up and into my car. Bella is at my side, her hand pushing hair away from my face, as she tries to assess the damage.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine," I answer tensely.

"Listen... I..." I lift my sore hand to silence her, unwilling to listen to whatever it is she has to tell me. Like always, she's out of my league and I just don't have to ability to sit there and have her tell me she likes Mike. Who wouldn't like Mike over me? He was vice-president of our class, was on the debate team and the volleyball team. Heck, his parents own the sporting goods store in town and he's practically royalty here. I'm just…no one.

"I'm fine, no worries," I say as I stand up shakily and Bella looks at me with sadness. I turn towards my car, unable to stomach being in her presence anymore when Bella yells something that makes me still.

"But what about the yearbook?"

"How about we just pretend that never happened, alright?"

They are the most words I ever said to Bella Swan and I hate all nine of them.

_You missed a great party dude-J_

_Are you there? I wanna go into the city –J_

_Edwardo? –J_

_**Edward? Jasper gave your # to Alice. Can we talk? – Bella**_

I groan and toss my phone to the side, unwilling to let the day begin. When I got home from the party, I locked myself in my room and burrowed under my blankets, pretending like nothing happened. It was now eleven in the morning according to my phone and I have 3 voicemails and 4 text messages. I ignore the messages and toss on some shorts and a t-shirt before making my way downstairs.

"Well, it's about time you showed up," my mother calls out cheerfully as I grumble out a good morning and drag my body to the coffee maker. Just as I am about to move to sit in my usual spot, I am surprised to see a head full of long brown hair sitting there. What in the fuck is going on and why is Bella in my house?

"Bella has been waiting patiently for you to wake up," my father adds, offering me a wink as I remain standing in the kitchen. I'm sure I look like a complete moron with my mouth wide open in shock and my hands cupping my hot coffee like a lifeline.

"We're going to give you guys some privacy," my mother adds as she grabs my father's arm and goes to tug him out of the room.

"Actually, we'll go outside," I mumble, but all I can think of is that we will be out of earshot of my parents on the front porch.

I lead the way and Bella sits on the porch swing that my father bought my mother for their twentieth wedding anniversary. I sit on the opposite side, clutching my coffee as I pull it to my mouth for a scalding sip.

"Your parents are nice," she says sweetly, attempting to break the tension.

"Yeah, I suppose." I shrug.

"Your mom is super proud that you are heading to college in the fall. I think she will miss you though." I turn to Bella and look at her incredulously as I take in her appearance. She looks tired, frazzled even, like she didn't sleep last night. Then again, I didn't sleep much either. Every time I closed my eyes I saw her with Mike Newton's lips on her neck and I woke up in a cold sweat. It was all sorts of fucked up.

As I watch her for a moment, I find myself determined to end this thing once and for all.

"Listen, I don't get why you are here, but I also don't need you to tell me things about my parents after you have known them for what…ten minutes?" I'm nothing but blunt and though I don't want to hurt Bella, I can't stand to be hurt even more.

"Two hours."

"What?" I ask, as I do a double take and spill a bit of my coffee.

"I've been waiting to talk to you for two hours."

"Why?" I question, completely confused.

"I have to explain last night, and anyways I once read somewhere that some people are worth waiting for."

I'm stunned into silence, as Bella quotes a line from my yearbook declaration. Before I can say anything in return, Bella suddenly gets very vocal.

"I'm sorry about last night…I swear nothing is going on with me and Mike. It was just a complete lapse in judgment following my little run-in with Afton," she begins as I drink my coffee and wait for more. "She hates my guts because her sister does. It's all very childish. Their reasons for disliking me are completely unfounded, but neither of them seem to want to listen to me or…"

"Jacob?" I interrupt.

"You know about him?" Bella seems genuinely surprised at my outburst.

"Well… only what Afton has told me, which isn't much," I admit ruefully.

"My dad is best friends with Jacob's dad. They have been since they were little, but they reconnected when we moved back to town a few years ago," Bella says softly as I notice her fingers are twirling a few strands of her long hair. "Lauren walked in on us watching a Mariners game with our dads and our fingers in a cookie jar. But it was an actual cookie jar and not some metaphor for sex or anything."

Bella lets out a small sigh and I find myself feeling sorry for her. She's facing the wrath of two catty girls for no real reason. Then again, high school girls never did care about getting to the truth before they alienated someone.

"Jacob was planning to dump her anyways, but suddenly I was turned into the cheating whore by hanging out with a friend."

"Sorry," I say quietly.

"It's not your fault. I just hope you don't believe whatever information Afton fed you last night, since I'm sure it's pure bullshit."

"Well…thanks for clearing that up," I respond coolly. I'm not sure what I should be saying to her, but it's clear that she is confused by my aloof attitude.

"Uh… so it was important for me to clear the air about all this since I also wanted to talk to you about the yearbook," she stammers, her voice turning quieter. "I know you said last night for me to forget about it, but I can't. It's the most romantic thing anyone has ever said or done for me but…"

"I know… but what's the point of starting something when we're both going off to college in the fall, right?" I had heard the argument before, mainly from my mother, when I told her of my little stunt. "I just… I couldn't go off to Columbia without having said something, ya know? It's okay if you don't feel the same…"

"Wait… did you just say you were going to Columbia?" Bella asks, her face lit with excitement.

"Yeah, I got accepted to their journalism program."

"Holy fuck." Bella is practically breathless as she vibrates enthusiastically beside me. "I'm going to Barnard… for Education."

I turn towards her, my mind moving a mile a minute as I try to figure out what to say in response. This is seriously the best news I have had in weeks! Bella is going to Barnard, the women's college at Columbia. We are almost, technically, sorta going to the same college. We can spend time together, go on dates and be… normal.

I pause for a moment as I suddenly wonder if Bella would even want that. Sure, she said that my yearbook thing was the most romantic thing anyone had ever told her, but…

Before I can even finish my thought, Bella is grabbing my head in her hands and planting a kiss against my awkward lips. It is very unexpected and my head can't keep up with the feelings going on below my waist. I even moan loudly, which makes Bella more aggressive as I feel her tongue against my mouth, seeking entrance. I pause and push her away as Bella gives me a strange look. She looks almost sad.

"What's wrong?"

"I just need… you _do_ like me right?" I mumble softly, feeling even more like the bumbling virgin that I am. "You just… didn't say anything about the yearbook thing until now and I've been completely paranoid that I fucked everything up. Now to find out you are going to be in Manhattan with me makes it even more difficult for me to deal with all of this." I'm about to say something else, no doubt stupid and asinine because that is what I do around Bella, but she rests her fingers gently against my mouth and silences me.

"Yes, Edward I like you," Bella says, her voice full of sincerity. "I've liked you ever since I came here, but you were always so… different than everyone else. You and Jasper have your own thing going on and you never went to any parties or anything. Hell, we only had one class together this year. If we ever had five minutes alone I probably would have asked you out on a date."

"You would?" I choked out, surprised.

"Of course I would have. Have you seen yourself?" I shake my head slowly and Bella moves even closer to me on the seat. "You don't see yourself very clearly then. Once you head to Columbia you'll have to beat the girls away with a stick."

"I only have eyes for one girl."

"So you mentioned in the yearbook," Bella replies with a blush coloring her face.

She is completely adorable and when she looks back up, I can't help myself. I lean in and kiss her, tentatively at first. Her fingers wind their way through my hair and she moans lightly, encouraging me, as I dart my tongue out to taste her bottom lip, only to find her tongue in its place. She's delicious and clearly more aggressive than I am, but I don't mind.

What I do mind is a few minutes later when I hear my mother clearing her throat just on the inside of the front door, as she smiles from ear to ear. "Bella, will you be joining us for brunch?"

"Actually…"

"I think I am going to take Bella out for breakfast, mom," I interrupt as I grip her hand tightly in mine. "I think it's about time we went on a date."

Four months later, I find myself at a small restaurant near campus called Kitchenette as I wait for Bella. Since our first date, Bella and I have made a ritual of getting together every Sunday morning for breakfast or brunch. Sometimes we would have it at my house or hers, or we would go to the diner in town. Now that we are settled at college though, we found a little place that has food very much like my mother's. The pancakes are a bit fluffier than my mothers, but I would never tell her that.

The waitress gives me a huge smile and refills my coffee, as I read the New York Times. Bella will take it back to her dorm with her and finish the crossword, and I smile as I think of the habits we've already solidified after only four months together. Just as the waitress is about to say something else, Bella slides into her seat beside me and kisses my cheek softly.

"Sorry I'm late, babe. Blame Elise for being such a bitch," she states with a smile plastered on her face. I can't help but notice that suddenly the waitress doesn't look as happy as she did a few moments ago. Bella orders a coffee and her usual, a herb and goat cheese omelet, as she grabs her section of the paper. I quickly place my order and the waitress disappears while Bella leans in to kiss me again.

"What did she do now?"

"She was in the bathroom for over two hours this morning. I don't even want to know what she was doing, but let me tell you, I absolutely hate having her for a roommate. Next year…"

"Next year we'll get our own place off campus," I state firmly as Bella turns to me with a huge grin on her face.

"Confident are we?"

"I didn't used to be, but these days… very, my pretty girl."

**A/N: If you are missing my usual smexiness, make sure you head on over to the extremely smutty o/s I did called The Casting Couch. Flightlessbird11 asked me if I was writing about theatre now and I snorted so loudly a co-worker came to see if I was alright. Yeah... theatre... that's what it's about. LOL**


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